This year, Cartoon Network will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of The Powerpuff Girls, the full series premiered on Cartoon Network in the United States on 18th November 1998, the show eventually became one of Cartoon Network’s most iconic animated series appealing to both girls and boys all over the world. The animated series followed the daily-lives of three unlikely superheroes, three kindergarten-aged (school-aged in the 2016 reboot) girls named Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup, it’s their duty to save Townsville and the world from destruction before bedtime while still trying to live a normal childhood. The 20th anniversary celebrations will begin next month with the global rollout of new episodes, events and products that will continue into 2019. As seen in the Cartoon Network USA 2018 preview video, Bliss will also be returning to the show this year.

The original series was created by Craig McCracken who later created another Cartoon Network hit Foster’s Home For Imaginary Friends, for the rebooted series which launched in 2016, Nick Jennings and Bob Boyle serve as executive producers.

In 2017, The Powerpuff Girls won a “Best National Family Series” Gracie Award. The Gracie Awards recognises high-quality programming created by women, for women and about women in media and entertainment. The graphical assets from the animated series have been utilised in Cartoon Network’s commitment to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) education, including Google’s Made with Code GIF and the Scratch programming language developed by MIT Media Lab.

Throughout the entire history of the show, The Powerpuff Girls has amassed more than $2.5 billion in retail sales, makes it one of Cartoon Network’s most successful licensed brands of all time. with a total of 150 partners including toy manufacturers, clothing retailers, book publishers and even theme parks. Partners for The Powerpuff Girls brand include: designer Jeremy Scott and Moschino on a global fashion collaboration that was launched in 2016, Hot Topic, C&A, Miniso, El Corte Ingles, Reserved, TVOE, Fyodor Golan, Saucette, Bizuu, Peripera and 7.Modifier, Spin Master, McDonalds, Ferrero, Cold Stone Creamery, IMG Worlds of Adventure, The Cartoon Network Amazone Waterpark, Live Nation, Hachette and many more.

From The Turner UK Press Release: The Powerpuff Girls Celebrate 20 Years of Saving the World Before Bedtime

Cartoon Network announced today that The Powerpuff Girls will be celebrating its 20th anniversary. As the original harbingers of girl power, the iconic brand has been an inspiration to generations of girls and young women since its initial launch in November 1998. The celebration will begin in February with the global rollout of new episodes, events and products that will continue into 2019. Fourth sister Bliss will also return throughout the year.

From the moment they started to save the world before bedtime, these three superhero sisters, Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup, became more than characters on a show, but a global phenomenon with a message of empowerment that continues to resonate today with the reimagined series that debuted in 2016.

The Powerpuff Girls won a 2017 Gracie Award in the “Family Series – National” category, recognizing high-quality programming for girls and women. The series has also played an important part in Cartoon Network’s overall commitment to STEAM education by inspiring children to learn coding with special episodes and programs including Google’s Made with Code GIF: The Powerpuff Girls and Scratch from the MIT Media lab.

With more than $2.5 billion in retail sales generated since its original debut, The Powerpuff Girls is one of the most enduring and top-grossing Cartoon Network brands of all time. Over the years, Cartoon Network has teamed with a roster of more than 150 global licensing partners across toys, apparel, publishing and themed entertainment, among others. Those partners have included: designer Jeremy Scott and Moschino on a global fashion collaboration that was launched in 2016, Hot Topic, C & A Department Store, Miniso, El Corte Ingles, Reserved, TVOE, Fyodor Golan, Saucette, Bizuu, Peripera, 7.Modifier, Spin Master, McDonalds, Ferrero, Cold Stone Creamery, IMG Worlds, Cartoon Network Amazone, Live Nation, Hachette and many more.

The Powerpuff Girls is produced by Cartoon Network Studios, with Nick Jennings serving as executive producer and Bob Boyle as co-executive producer. The initial run of The Powerpuff Girls, created by Craig McCracken, premiered in 1998 and earned two Emmy Awards along with five nominations and other countless honors and accolades.

Catch The Powerpuff Girls weekdays at 11:30am on Cartoon Network in the UK.

Cartoon Network Panel At Fast Company Innovation Festival 2017 In New York

Today (24/10/2017), there was a breakfast Cartoon Network panel event at the Fast Company Innovation Festival in New York, the panel was about creative thinking and how it can help the next generation who will face future challenges that will need fresh ideas to solve them, this includes teaching technology in schools such as computer programming and to encourage children’s creativity. The panel was called “Cartoon Network on Why the Future Belongs to Creative Thinkers” and featured a team of technology and creative experts along with the president of Cartoon Network – Christina Miller.

Professionals present at the panel include Saxs Persson, Creative Director for Minecraft; Mitch Resnick, LEGO Papert Professor of Learning Research at MIT Media Lab; Adam Leibsohn, Chief Operating Officer at GIPHY; Zach Klein, co-founder of DIY.org and Limor Fried, Engineer and Founder at Adafruit Industries. Cartoon Network have been working with MIT Media Lab, DIY.org and Mojang (the makers of the creative sandbox game – Minecraft) to encourage creative thinking among school children, which includes using the graphical programming language – Scratch or creating worlds and using command blocks and logic circuits in Minecraft either at school or in their free time.

As mentioned at the panel and in order to help the next generation, we must start focusing on kids so they can gradually change the world when they get older and to stop discouraging kids out of subjects and hobbies that they’re passionate about and interested in. Christina Miller also mentioned that creating interactive worlds and not just television shows will help foster kids’ creativity.

Today (12/07/2017), Turner Asia-Pacific has launched its Cartoon Network themed computer programming learning initiative called “Code the Future with Cartoon Network”, where young students will learn the basics of computer programming using fun and interactive methods. The new initiative is similar to Cartoon Network USA’s partnership with the Scratch Foundation, the organisation behind the Scratch programming language, a simplified programming language designed specifically for children and for people who have never coded before.

The scheme has launched in the Philippines first and is part of a wider campaign in the region to introduce coding to school children across Asia. Cartoon Network’s coding initiative also includes an in-school adventure camp, a young ambassador initiative and a website full of coding tutorials and videos from Cartoon Network. The campaign will also use the Scratch programming language, which will provide easy access for anyone who wishes to create and share their interactive stories, games and animations. Schools are now focusing more on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics) subjects, and the new initiative from Cartoon Network will integrate well into the school curriculum.

Code the Future workshops will start in July at 10 different schools in the Manila Metropolitan area, at the workshops, kids aged between 8 and 10 years old will learning the fundamentals of coding, with the use of Ben 10, Adventure Time, The Powerpuff Girls and We Bare Bears graphical assets and tutorials. Students will gain an understanding of planes of movement, conditional thinking and animation.

Turner has signed up two young and talents coders in the Philippines to take part in the Code the Future campaign – Nico Jorge and Faith Khoo, Nico creates and plays his own games for enjoyment and Faith develop games for school projects, both will help to teach kids how to code. According to Turner’s New Generations 2017 survey it was revealed that 57% of kids in Manila aged between 4 to 14 learnt coding in schools with 87% of them enjoying the subject. Cartoon Network is the leading international children’s television channel in the Philippines and the greater Southeast Asian region.

Turner Asia Pacific today announced the launch of its “Code the Future with Cartoon Network” program where students learn the basics of computer programming in a fun and interactive way.

With a Philippines-first launch, the scheme is part of a broader, regional campaign to introduce coding to school children in Asia. It includes an in-school adventure camp, a young ambassador initiative and a website packed with coding tutorials, videos and concepts from Cartoon Network, a brand known for its ability to connect with kids and fans across multiple touchpoints.

The campaign uses a free programming language and online community that provides easy access for anyone who wants to create and share interactive stories, games and animation. Its launch comes at a time when this technical life skill gains importance in schools that are increasingly emphasising Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics (also known as STEAM).

“Coding is where tech, engineering and the arts all converge, and has become vitally important for this current generation of plurals,” explains Vishal Dembla, Turner’s Southeast Asia General Manager. “Through this initiative, Cartoon Network will equip children – via a hugely fun and colorful method of instruction – with an essential tool that can open up many doors.”

To kick off, the three-month Code the Future workshops starts in July at 10 different Metro Manila schools. There kids aged 8-10 will learn the fundamentals of coding from Cartoon Network’s shows Ben 10, Adventure Time, The Powerpuff Girls and We Bare Bears. Students will come away with an understanding of planes of movement, conditional thinking, and how to create animated sprites and characters.

Turner has also enlisted the help of two young and talented Filipino coders to take part in the campaign and Code the Future. Nico Jorge is passionate about creating and playing games, while Faith Khoo develops games for school projects, and both are motivated to help the community by teaching kids how to code.

Turner’s New Generations 2017 survey revealed that 57% of Manila-based kids aged 4-14 learnt coding in schools with 87% of them enjoying the subject. Cartoon Network dominates the kids space in the Philippines, hosting regular branded events, developing games and apps for local fans, and continues to be the leading international kids channel on TV.*